I love this article (W is crazy)

[margotb822]

A study funded by the US government has concluded that conservatism can be explained psychologically as a set of neuroses rooted in "fear and aggression, dogmatism and the intolerance of ambiguity".

Study of Bush's psyche touches a nerve

[NastyRiffraff]

1. Oh, that is great!

I love the sound of Republican heads exploding! :bounce:

[DrDan]

2. here is a summary of the study - note the study was published in 2003

http://www.awitness.org/journal/political_conservatism_as_motivated_social_cognition_summary.html

[DrDan]

3. a couple more quotes from the study

"We consider evidence for and against the hypotheses that political conservatism is significantly associated with (1) mental rigidity and closed-mindedness, including (a) increased dogmatism and intolerance of ambiguity, (b) decreased cognitive complexity, (c) decreased openness to experience, (d) uncertainty avoidance, (e) personal needs for order and structure, and (f) need for cognitive closure; (2) lowered self-esteem; (3) fear, anger, and aggression; (4) pessimism, disgust, and contempt; (5) loss prevention; (6) fear of death; (7) threat arising from social and economic deprivation; and (8) threat to the stability of the social system. "

<that describes junior to-a-tee - particularly f. He has to have this closure, hence he has developed very simple rationale for his actions - and believes things to be fact, whether they have a basis in reality or not.>

"The disadvantaged might embrace right-wing ideologies under some circumstances to reduce fear, anxiety, dissonance, uncertainty, or instability (e.g., Jost, Pelham, Sheldon, & Sullivan, 2003; Lane, 1962; Nias, 1973), whereas the advantaged might gravitate toward conservatism for reasons of self-interest or social dominance "

<so what better way to control than to provide more reasons for fear and anxiety (terra terra terra) - and then appear to hold the keys to reduce it>

[Afje]

5. So basically it boils down

to fear. Control freaks with soiled underpants.

[izzie]

9. Sounds like some Dem. also.

I love these studies. I would say that people who wish to keep things as they think they were have been around a long long time. Plus people with open minds have always had to fight the status quo. Every one seems to drag some of their past along with them. Where we seem to get in trouble is when these people who want to keep most of the past feel they were 'born to rule'. We have had thousands of years of that type rule. Bush is right in line with them. That thinking has left us with the Last of many ruling families.. .

[DrDan]

10. yeah - I think they nailed it with their conclusions

appeal to the lower-economic strata through fear - and the upper through their greed.

Pretty much wraps up the philosophy of the GOP these days. And a philosophy that manifests itself very neatly in the current president. He is the embodiment of both - fear and greed.

[izzie]

12. to me they feel they have the 'right' to it all.

It is a tone that just creeps into all the Bush's talk.

[ClintonTyree]

4. Confirms what we've known all along....

CONservatives are mentally imbalanced. It would also explain why so many of them have sexual problems.

They also use their own fears to control (or at least attempt to) the masses, most often getting people to vote against their own self interests.

They're a bunch of certifiable loonies who shouldn't be allowed anywhere near politics in general. They're better suited for work in penal institutions, or, as guests of same. ;)

[Afje]

6. Yeah, Bush showed some aptitude

for brush clearing. That's about it.

[trusty elf]

7. a pic to shrubstantiate that claim

[liberalla]

8. * * * This was posted a week ago - see here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2810561

If you like this thread, you should read that thread too.

Maybe we should merge the two threads?

[melody]

11. They're a bunch of not-terribly-bright Alpha primates, yup

With that extra added touch of sociopathy.

[TalkingDog]

13. We need conservatives. For one thing it seems to give you guys somebody to feel

superior to.

Children are the Ultimate Liberals. They fear nothing. Every experience is up for grabs, every sight, sound and notion begs to be acted on. Explored.

Parents are the Ulitmate Conservatives. They fear every shadow is a pedophile stalker, every cat has rabies, every step will break into a run for a street filled with cars that are "going too damned fast, slow down you freak!!!!!!!". They rigidly control behavior, speech, dress, food intake and every other aspect of their offsprings lives, including but not limited to, their sexuality - "Jimmy, we don't put our hands down our pants in front of other people, that's a private thing. If you need some private time, go into your room and close the door".


There is a great evolutionary advantage to Conservatism married to Liberalism.

A true liberal would see the potential of that. An intelligent person would understand it's advantages.


And yes, beyond that, GWB is not just crazy, he's a socio-pathic sadist.


My Favorite Master Artist: Karen Parker GhostWoman Studios

[foerschie]

14. I love this study

I have it printed off and in my desk, so I am ready whenever a conservative wants to tell me what is wrong with liberals.

[UTUSN]

15. Thanks!1 I've sent this far and wide!1 n/t

[windoe]

16. Sick and dangerous-

not to be underestimated (or misunderestimated!!).

[Glenda]

17. I love this!

I read the entire article at your link. I almost could get past the first few words:

"A study funded by the US government" :spray: :rofl:

Here is the website of one of the authors

http://glaser.socialpsychology.org/

I'm going to see if I can get the whole article from Psych Bulletin.

[Glenda]

18. Here's the abstract

Note the strong positive correlations with death anxiety, need for order. ANd negative correlations with openness to experience, uncertainty tolerance. I think I need to get the article, so see the definitions of some of these constructs

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

http://content.apa.org/journals/bul/129/3/339

Title Political conservatism as motivated social cognition.
Abstract Analyzing political conservatism as motivated social cognition integrates theories of personality (authoritarianism, dogmatism-intolerance of ambiguity), epistemic and existential needs (for closure, regulatory focus, terror management), and ideological rationalization (social dominance, system justification). A meta-analysis (88 samples, 12 countries, 22,818 cases) confirms that several psychological variables predict political conservatism:

- death anxiety (weighted mean r=.50);
- system instability (.47);
- dogmatism-intolerance of ambiguity (.34);
- openness to experience (-.32);
- uncertainty tolerance (-.27);
- needs for order, structure, and closure (.26);
- integrative complexity (-.20);
- fear of threat and loss (.18); and
- self-esteem (-.09).

The core ideology of conservatism stresses resistance to change and justification of inequality and is motivated by needs that vary situationally and dispositionally to manage uncertainty and threat.

(PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)
Authors Jost, John T.; Glaser, Jack; Kruglanski, Arie W.; Sulloway, Frank J.
Affiliations Jost, John T.: Stanford U, Graduate School of Business, Stanford, CA, US
Glaser, Jack: U California, Goldman School of Public Policy, Berkeley, CA, US
Kruglanski, Arie W.: U Maryland, Dept of Psychology, College Park, MD, US
Sulloway, Frank J.: U California, Inst of Personality & Social Research, Berkeley, CA, US
Source Psychological Bulletin. 2003 May Vol 129(3) 339-375

[HughMoran]

19. Send this as a chain email to everyone you know

Let them know that their condition - "conservatism nervosa" - is curable with extensive psychological treatments.

I knew their was something wrong with the conservatives I know, the neurosis described in the article is exactly as I have been describing for years.

Conservatism is a disease! :D

[Glenda]

20. kick

:kick:

[Doctor_J]

21. I predict my grandkids' psych text books will Republicanism as a pathology

listening to and believing hate radio, voting for an incompetent loser like *, and funding humor in "Barrack The Magic Negro" are symptoms of deep scarring of the psyche and soul.